Gâteau au chocolat

About this recipe:This is a French chocolate cake recipe for a typical homemade chocolate cake in France - dense, dark and delicious. Excellent served with whipped cream, ice cream or, of course, on its own.

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Ingredients
Serves: 12

100g caster sugar

285g cooking chocolate

170g unsalted butter, cubed

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

5 eggs, separated

4 tablespoons sifted plain flour

1 pinch cream of tartar

salt to taste

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MethodPrep:25min › Cook:1hr › Extra time:1hr25min › Ready in:2hr50min

Preheat the oven to 170 C / Gas 3. Generously grease a 23cm springform cake tin. Dust with a little sugar, and tap out the excess.

Set aside 3 tablespoons of the sugar. Place the chocolate, butter and remaining sugar in a large, heavy-based pan. Cook over moderate heat until the chocolate and butter have melted, and the sugar has dissolved. Remove the pan from heat. Stir in vanilla, and leave the mixture to cool slightly.

Beat the egg yolks into the chocolate mixture one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the flour.

In a large bowl, scrupulously clean and grease free, beat the egg whites until foamy. Add cream of tartar and salt, and beat to stiff peaks. Sprinkle reserved sugar over egg whites, and beat until stiff and glossy. Beat 1/3 of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture, then carefully fold in the remaining whites. Carefully pour cake mixture into the prepared tin, and tap the tin gently to release air bubbles.

Bake for about 45 minutes to 1 hour, until well risen and a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. If the cake appears to rise unevenly, rotate after 30 to 35 minutes. If the cake starts to crack or become too brown, place a piece of foil lightly over the top. Transfer the cake to a wire cooling rack, and remove the sides of the springform tin. Cool completely, and then remove the base. Do not attempt to remove the cake before it has completely cooled as this cake is very fragile.